Housed selective-angle speed-reducer



Nov. 3, 1959 E. J. WELLAUER 2,910,882

HOUSED SELECTIVE-ANGLE SPEED-REDUCER Filed Nov. 4, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2mm me Vw N \R m m RN 3N M mm m g S wm no ullliwm fin Awa- Nov. 3, 1959E. J. WELLAUER HOUSED SELECTIVE-ANGLE SPEED-REDUCER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Nov. 4, 1957 R WE U WA L V ma W Iv D R A W D E BY Fa) 5 @WW 9791102-12 e'z s Nov. 3, 1959 E. J. WELLAUER HOUSED SELECTIVE-ANGLESPEED-REDUCER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 4, 1957 cl I HM 5 Dn U1 fluWWW TA F w r Wu Z mw M 33 EDWARD J BY 27 W1 Tm W 2,910,882 Patented Nov.3, 1959 HOUSED SELECTIVE-ANGLE SPEED-REDUCER Edward J. Wellauer,Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to The Falk Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Application November 4, 1957, Serial No.694,393

2 Claims. (Cl. 74412) This invention relates to housed selective-anglespeedreducers, and more particularly to such a housed speedreducer for acombined electric motor and gear-reducer.

In many uses (for example, but not limited to, electric mixers) there isemployed an integral motor and gear-reducer, in which it would beconvenient for the shaft of the motor and the output shaft of thereducer to be adapted to be set selectively parallel or at right anglesto each other, and in which it would be highly desirable that thehousing of the reducer be adapted to house such alternative settings,without modification of the housing. Accordingly it is the principalobject of the present invention to devise such a housing, and to designit as simply as possible.

A further object is that such housing shall permit change of gear-ratio,without modification of the housing.

Other objects and advantages. will appear in the description whichfollows.

in the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof, in which there is shown, by way of illustrationand not of limitation, a certain specific form in which the machine ofthe present invention may be embodied.

in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, mostly in section, of the gearhousing andgear-reduction of the present invention attached to an electric motor,showing the housing cover oriented on the housing base so that the twoshafts are perpendicular, and the shaft-mounting member oriented on thecover so as to produce the greater of the two alternative gear-ratios.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the gearhousing,gear-reduction, and motor, showing the cover oriented so that the twoshafts are parallel; the gearratio being the same as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the edge of the housing base, seen as viewed fromthe line 33 of Fig. 1, with some additional indications as will beexplained later herein.

4 is a view of the eccentric shaft-mounting member, seen as viewed fromthe line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional 'view of the gear-housing and gearreductionshowing the cover oriented on the base, as in Fig. 1, so that the shaftsare perpendicular, but with the shaft-mounting member oriented on thecover so as to produce the lesser of the two alternative gearratios.

6 is a similar sectional View, but with the cover oriented so that thetwo shafts are parallel; the gear-ratio being the same as in Fig. 5.

Througnout the description, the same reference-nu.- meral is applied tothe same member or similar members.

Referring now to the drawings, more particularly Fig. 1, will be seenthat 11 is the main frame of an electric motor. To one end of this frameis fastened, as by bolts 12, of which one is shown, an end cover 13known as the bell.

Motor shaft 14 (which also serves as the input shaft of the gearing, aswill later appear) is journaled in bearing 16 in the bell, and also inbearing 17 as Will later appear. This shaft carries a cooling-fan 13,for surfacecooling the motor, by sucking-in air through the open end ofbell 13, and driving this air out through openings 19 (of which one isshown) between the edge of the bell and motor-frame 11.

Shaft 14 also carries rotor 21. The stator is 22. These two elements aremore or less conventionally shown in Fig. 1.

For the conventional end cover at the other end of the motor from bell12, there is substituted the base 23 of a gear-housing. Thishousing-base will hereinafter usually be referred to as merely the base.Bearing 17 of motor-shaft 14 is mounted in this base. The base issecured to motor-frame 11 as by bolts 26?.

As already stated, from the point of view of the present invention,motor-shaft 14 serves as the input-shaft of the gearing. For thispurpose it carries bevel-pinion 24, secured to it as by nut 25.

26 is the cover of the gear-housing. This housingcover will hereinafterusually be referred to as merely the cover.

For reasons which will later appear, the juncture surfaces between coverand base conform to certain criteria which will now be described.

Fig. 3 represents primarily a view of the edge of the base, seen asviewed from the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. By comparing Fig. 3 with Figs. 1 and2 it will be seen that 2'7 represents the bolting flange of the base, towhich the bolting flange of the cover exactly corresponds and tits.Offset slightly from flange 27, is a further portion 28 of the base, towhich a further portion of the cover fits but does not exactlycorrespond. For there is an inward extension 29 of offset portion 28 ofthe base, and dotted line 31a in Fig. 3 indicates the position of theedge of an inward extension 31. of the cover, when the cover occupiesits position as in Fig. 1. Dotted line 31b in Fig. 3 indicates theposition of the edge of inward extension 31, when the cover has beenrotated degrees from its position as in Fig. l to its position as inFig. 2.

For the purpose of the present invention it is desirable that there be acomplete closure contact between cover 26 and base 23 in the twopositions of the cover on the base, 180 degrees apart as shown in Figs.1 and 2, it is of no moment whatever that there be such closure contactin any other relative position of cover and base than these two.Accordingly, although the contact surfaces, as shown, are predominantlycircular, they might as Well be elliptical, rectangular, hexagonal,etc., etc. in fact, they need not even be plane, although this isdesirable for convenience in machining. In further fact, they need noteven be axially symmetrical about a common axis of base and cover, as isclearly demonstrated by the fact that such symmetry does not completelyexist, even in the present exemplification of the invention.

Accordingly, all that can be said is that the cover must be reversible180 degrees with respect to the base; or, more explicitly, that thecover be capable of being affixed to the base in either of two selectivepositions of relative rotation 180 degrees apart.

The cover is secured to the base in each of the covers two selectivepositions by means of bolts 32, inserted through holes 33 in the baseand corresponding holes in the cover.

Reverting now to Fig. 1, it will be seen that output shaft 34 isjournaled in two bearings 36 and 37, in shaftmounting member 38, whichis secured to housing-cover 26 by bolts 39, which also pass-through, andserve to hold in place, oil-seal cover 41. See also Fig. 4.

Output shaft 34 carries bevel-gear 42, which is secured to it as by nut43, and which engages bevel-pinion 24. The gear-ratio is the larger ofthe two gear-ratios employed; as shown, it is 4-to-1. r

Note that the two shafts 14 and 34 are coplanar and mutuallyperpendicular.

If now the positions of the journals of these two shafts on base andcover respectively, and the relation between cover and base, have beenproperly chosen (on which see later herein), and if the cover be removedand rotated 180 degrees and reapplied to the base, and if proper spurgears be substituted for the bevel gears of Fig. 1, there will exist thesituation in which the two shafts will be coplanar and mutuallyparallel, with the gear ratio still the same as before, all as shown inFig. 2. 44 is the substituted spur pinion, and 46 is the substitutedspur gear.

Thus far in the description there has not yet been taken into accountthe function played by the eccentric mounting of output shaft 34 inshaft-mounting member 38.

Like the already-described relationship of housingcover 26 andhousing-base 23, it is sutlicient for the purposes of the presentinvention that member 38 be capable of being affixed to housing-cover 26in either of two selective positions of relative rotation 180 degreesapart.

Figs. 1 and 2 show member 38 in one of such relative positions, andFigs. 5 and 6 show said member in the other of such relative positions.Except for this and an appropriate substitution of gears, Fig. 5 isidentical to the corresponding portion of Fig. 1, and Pig. 6 isidentical to the corresponding portion of Fig. 2. In Fig. 5, 47 is thesubstitute bevel pinion, and 48 is the substitute bevel gear. In Fig. 6,49 is the substitute spur pinion, and 51 is the substitute spur gear.The gear-ratio of Figs. 5 and 6 is 3.33-to-1.

Next, as how to design the various parts so that they will assume theproper relations under the various conditions shown and described.

Although this must be accomplished largely by cut-andtry, it is possibleto outline one general course of procedure, roughly as follows. See Fig.1.

Start by assuming the given position of input shaft 14. Designbevel-pinion 24 and bevel-gear 42 so as to have the larger of the twogear-ratios contemplated, and locate bevel-pinion 24 on input shaft 14as close to the motor as convenient. Locate output shaft 34 coplanar andperpendicular to input shaft 14, and so that bevel-gear 42 meshes withbevel-pinion 24.

Design spur-pinion 44 and spur-gear 46 so as to have the same gear-ratioas above. See Fig. 2. Assume spurpinion 44 on the end of input shaft 14,and locate output shaft 34 parallel to input shaft 14, and in the sameplane as the plane of the first locating of the two shafts, and so thatspur-gear 46 meshes with spur-pinion 44.

Determine a juncture between housing-cover 26 and housing-base 23, suchthat in one position the shafts and gears will lie as first determinedabove, and in a 180-degree reversed position they will lie as secondlydetermined above. (Note: To the extent that the juncture issubstantially a plane, both shafts will lie at an angle of 45 degrees tothat plane; but even in this event the further positioning of that planewith respect to the shafts, and the positioning of the juncture in thatplane, will have to be determined by juggling.)

So much for satisfying the one gear-ratio if there be only one; or thegreater gear-ratio if there be two.

As for the second (i.e., lesser) gear-ratio.

First, design bevel-pinion 47 and bevel-gear 48 so as to have the lesserof the two gear-ratios contemplated. Consider input shaft 14 located asbefore, and bevelpinion 47 substituted for bevel-pinion 24. Determine anew location for output shaft 34, shifted laterally in the same plane,with bevel gear 43 applied and meshing with bevel-pinion 47. See Fig. 5.

Shaft-mounting member 33 can now be designed so as .to have such a180-degree-reversible juncture with housing-cover 26, that in oneposition the two shafts will accommodate meshing bevel-gears 24 and 42,and in the other position the two shafts will accommodate meshingbevel-gears 47 and 48. (Note: To the extent that this juncture issubstantially a plane, this plane will be perpendicular to the planecommon to the axes of the two shafts, and will also be perpendicular tothe axis of output shaft 34.)

Finally, with shaft-mounting member 38 in the position with respect tohousing-cover 26 such that the two shafts accommodate meshingbevel-gears 47 and 48, consider housing-cover 26 to be thereuponreversed so that the two shafts become parallel. See Fig. 6. Spur-gears49 and 51 can now be designed so as to mesh and produce the same lessergear-ratio as bevel-gears 47 and 48.

It will be seen that, by virtue of two -degree-reversible junctures(i.e., one between housing-cover 26 and housing-base 23; and the otherbetween shaft-mounting member 38 and housing cover 26), it is possibleto attain the following four selections: (I) greater gear-reduction,shafts mutually perpendicular (Fig. l); (2) same greater gear-reduction,shafts mutually parallel (Fig. 2); (3) lesser gear-reduction, shaftsmutually perpendicular (Fig. 5); and (4) same lesser gear-reduction,shafts mutually parallel (Fig. 6); all without modification of thegearhousing.

Although it is contemplated and desirable that there be only twodifferent gear-ratios involved; i.e., one for each of the two settingsof shaft-mounting member 38, regardless of whether the two shafts aremutually perpendicular or mutually parallel; yet it is within the scopeof the invention to have any number of different gear-ratios, if this bedesired for any reason. This is readily attainable by virtue of the factthat, although when the shafts are set as in Fig. 1 or Fig. 5 thegearratio is pretty much circumscribed, yet when the shafts are set asin Fi 2 or Fig. 6 it is a simple matter to substitute spur-gears of downto l-to-l gear-ratio and even beyond.

It will be readily evident from the foregoing description that thepresent invention affords a novel and useful housed selective-anglespeed reducer, which also permits selective change of gear ratio.

Now that one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificform or arrangement of parts herein shown and described, nor to thespecific procedure outlined herein for designing the various elements sothat they will assume the proper relations recited in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a housed speed-reducer, the combination of: a housing, comprisinga base and a cover, having such juncture surfaces that the cover iscapable of being affixed to the base in either of two selectivepositions of relative rotation 180 degrees apart; an input shaft,journaled to extend within the housing in a fixed direction with respectto the base; an output shaft, journaled to extend within the housing ina fixed direction with respect to the cover; said two journalings, andthe relation between the cover and the base, being respectively suchthat, in one of the two positions of relative rotation the two shaftsare coplanar, parallel, and oppositely extending, and in the other ofsaid two positions the two shafts are coplanar and perpendicular; a setof two intermeshing spur-gears for use on said shafts when parallel; aset of two intermeshing bevel-gears for use on said shafts whenperpendicular; and means for securing the cover to the base in each ofthe covers two selective positions; said two sets of gears beingselectively mounted on and fixed to the shafts according to whether theshafts are parallel or perpendicuiar.

2. A housed speed-reducer according to claim 1, where in: tie outputshaft is journaled eccentrically in a shaftmounting member supported bythe cover; and wherein said member and the cover have such juncturesurfaces that said member is capable of being afiixed to the cover ineither of two selective positions of relative rotation 180 degreesapart, whereby ther: are attainable two selective positions of theoutput shaft when parallel to the input shaft, and two selectivepositions of the output shaft when perpendicular to the input shaft; andwherein there are correspondingly two different sets of interrneshingspur gears for use on the shafts when parallel, and two difierent setsof intermeshing bevel gears for use on the shafts when perpendicular;and wherein there are means for securing the shaft-mounting member tothe cover in each of said members two selective positions; said foursets of gears being selectively mounted on and fixed to the shaftsaccording to which of the four selective positions the output shaftoccupies.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS658,743 Von Trautvetter Sept. 25, 1900 1,281,448 Wendler Oct. 15, 19181,348,630 Custenborder Aug. 3, 1920 1,674,400 Kocourek June 19, 19281,970,652 Hammitt Aug. 21, 1934 2,497,871 Gn'fiin Feb. 7, 1950 2,509,092Faulkner May 23, 1950

